1. I doubt if it’s all that straightforward. From what I know about
the topic, any increase or decrease in temperature would not likely be
uniform across the globe. It is well know that glaciers have been
retreating over the last number of years. Apparently, ice is forming later
in lakes in this area and ice break up occurs sooner in the spring. The
Inuit apparently are having difficulty adapting to the rapid change in
weather in the North. Incidentally, temperatures are numerical so we cannot
speak of “cold temperatures and “warm temperatures.”
2. As the article pointed out, it depends where you grow these trees.
It should also be noted that deforestation of the US Midwest (OH, PA, MI, WI
etc) to clear the land for agriculture may have an effect on the albedo of
the area. Note also the caveat by one of the authors (as cited in the
article): ”Co-author Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution warned that
proposals to grow more forests to cool the planet should be greeted with
caution. “I like forests. They provide good habitats for plants and
animals, and tropical forest are good for climate, so we should be
particularly careful to preserve them,” he said. “But in terms of climate
change, we should focus our efforts on things that can really make a
difference, like energy efficiency and developing new sources of clean
energy.â [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1534904/posts]
3. We are all accountable for our actions and that includes the way we
use the resources that have been entrusted to us. We care accountable to
God and to our fellowmen (not sure what the politically correct term for
“fellowmen” is. :-) ) for our actions. Any action we take should be based
on the available information. Many parents used to expose their children to
second hand smoke, because they didn’t know any better. Now that it appears
the second hand smoke is not very good for children, people are having
second thoughts about this. Same way with using our resources. To me, it’s
not so much the impact of driving, say, a Durango, on the environment, but
whether, in the current context, it’s environmentally and socially
responsible. I cannot be the arbiter of this. Reminds me of one of my
neighbours down the street who, after a heavy snowfall, shovelled his
driveway, then hopped into his car to drive to the shopping centre (500
metres from our street) to pick up a pack of cigarettes. (He died last week
of cancer). Was it environmentally responsible to drive his car? Would it
have been better if he had walked to the store?
4. Whether it is Janice’s fault if we are “doomed” is impossible to say
but, if there are enough Janices all driving Durangos, the rest of us, or
future generations may have to face higher fuel prices (unless, of course,
the big oil companies are in cahoots and hoard all the oil :-) ). Janice
may well have very good reasons to drive a Durango. (I had a chance to take
over a lease on one a year ago but, knowing its fuel consumption, declined
the offer and am glad I did).
5. I think it was Louis XV who coined the phrase, “AprÃ¨s moi, le
deluge.” That appears to be the attitude of our generation.

Chuck Vandergraaf

_____

From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On
Behalf Of Janice Matchett
Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 11:31 AM
To: asa@calvin.edu
Subject: Growing more forests in United States could contribute to Global
Warming

Let me see if I have it right so far:

1. Global WarmingTM causes colder temperatures, except when it causes
warmer temperatures.
2. Reversing "deforestation", which has been a crisis which will
destroy the planet in just a few years... for decades now, by growing more
trees, would really hurt the planet because of Global WarmingTM
3. My Dodge Durango SUV has a greater influence on Global WarmingTM,
and thus the planet, than active volcanoes, all the earth's forests and the
sun.
4. Conclusion: We're doomed, and it's all my fault.